Transportation Infrastructure

Background

The Highway Trust Fund (HTF) is the predominant vehicle for supporting federal investment in road and bridge construction, maintenance and repair projects. The HTF faces a projected shortfall, though, because its primary revenue source – the gas tax – has not kept pace with inflation.

Status

Congress most recently passed a five-year extension of highway project funding through 2020, adding needed certainty to the highway construction industry that has been lacking during a series of short-term measured that preceded this legislation. Still, Congress has not addressed the underlying question of how the HTF or other infrastructure programs are funded in the long-term, and will have to tackle the issue in the coming years. The Trump administration has indicated that it will release details of a comprehensive infrastructure package this year for Congress to consider.

Position

AEM urges the new Trump administration and leaders in Congress to pass a robust infrastructure investment package that addresses persistent shortfalls in our infrastructure system. AEM supports a variety of infrastructure investment tools to help reclaim the U.S. infrastructure advantage and spur manufacturing growth. AEM believes that the federal government must continue to maintain a strong role in funding U.S. infrastructure modernization. This includes providing an adequate and reliable funding source, but also extending efforts to expedite project delivery, ensuring urban-rural infrastructure connectivity, and maximizing the use of smart technology.